Compression of elastic fluids.



PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

S. Z. DE PERRANTI. 4 COMPRESSION 0P ELASTIC FLUIDS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULYZI, 1904.

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

s. 2. DE FERRANTI. COMPRESSION 0F ELASTIC FLUIDS.

APPLI OATION FILED JULY 21, 1904.

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S. Z. DE FERRANTI.

COMPRESSION OF ELASTIO FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZI, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 n 1 mm WF MW I2 M n m y PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

S. Z. DE FERRANTI.

COMPRESSION OP ELASTIC FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1904.

4 SHEETS SHBET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

COMPRESSlON OF ELASTIC FLUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Original application filed October 19,1903, Serial No. 177,703. Divided and this application filedJuly 21, 1904. Serial No. 21 7,549.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 31 Lyndhurst' road, London, N. W. England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to the Compression of Elastic Fluids, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to elastic-fluid compressors of the type described in my application, Serial No. 177,703, filed October 19, 1903, in which pistons or plugs of liquid are shot into tubes at a high velocity, thereby entraining and compressing elastic fluid.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for absorbing the energy of the compressing liquid at certain points of the cycle, thereb doing work and insuring a high efliciency o the complete installation.

My invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and' particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show forms of the invention in which a turbine-Wheel is utilized to absorb the energy of the compressing liquid as it leaves the separating-chamber. Fig. 3 shows another form in which the turbinewheel is placed within the separating-chamber, While Figs. 1, 5, and 6 show forms in which the compressing liquid passes directly at considerable velocit from the separatingchamber to the centri gal pump. Fig. 7 is a detailview of part of a'Pelton wheel to show the construction of the bucket.

The invention will be described as applied to the compression of air by water as the compressing medium.

In carrying the invention into effect according to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the water enters the centrifugal thrower b by way of the pipe 0 and passing at high velocity through the nozzles d of the thrower is shot into the compressing-tubes a in the form of plugs, thereby entraining air and carrying it into the first separating-chamber f, whence pipes 72 lead to theadditional separating-chamber i. A pipe 0 takes the compressed air from this separator to any suitable reservoir.

In order to remove the water from the separator '5 without loss of energy, a dischargepipe 8, provided with a suitable nozzle, causes the water to impinge 011 a Pelton wheel 1" or other suitable prime mover, this wheel being conveniently mounted on the same shaft as the driving-motor t and throwerb; but it may be connected by any suitable gearing. The discharge from the Pelton wheel 1 is led away either by the pipe u to a cooling-pond or other cooler, whence it is returned to the thrower 6 through the pipe 1; (see Fig. 1) or else it is thrown away througn the pipe u, (see Fig. 2,) fresh liquid being supplied to the thrower through the pipe 2;.

In Fig. 3 a modification is shown in which the auxiliary turbine or the like is arranged within the separating-chamber. In the general arrangement of apparatus shown the centrifugal thrower-spindle w is arranged vertically, an electric motor as being conveniently mounted on a prolongation of this spindle. The com ressing-tubes a deliver into the separator-c amber 2 and may be arranged, as shown, to pass through the acket 2, surrounding this chamber, the cooling water in this jacket being constantly renewed in any convenient manner in orderto prevent rise of temperature during compression.

The compressed air passes from the separatorchamber by way of the pipe 3. The jets discharging from the compression-tubes a impinge upon an impact wheel or turbine 4, so as to cause rotation, and this power is utilized, as shown,to aid in driving the centrifugal pump or thrower. The turbine itself in this case also acts as an efficientmeans of separating the air and liquid. The compress-- ing-Water passes from the separat0rcham-- her 2 back to the pump or thrower b and is used over again to compress a furtherquan- The revolving may be inclined, so as to assist the rotation by reaction. A series of liquid pistons JS thus discharged into the tubes which may be either parallel or expandin according to the quantity of air entrained, t e tubes 5 delivering into a separating-chamber 12, whence the liquid passes to a centrifugal pump or l1qu1 dthrower 13 to have its velocity restored it. In this manner no energyis lost to the cycle as the liquid leaves the separating-chamber. The liquid then returns by way of the pipe 14 to the rotating nozzles, thus completing the cycle. A cooler 15 is arranged at any convenient point in the circuit to prevent undue rise of tem erature of the compressing liquid. Instead o employing a rotating nozzle may, as shown in Fig. 6, use a nozzle 16, adapted to receive an oscillating motion from any suitable gearing, such as 17. The nozzle will then pass to and fro across'the ends of the compressing-tubes 5, causing alternate.

pistons or plugs of air and water to pass down the tubes, as in the last form described. The other reference-characters on Fig. 6 bear the same si nificance as in Fig. 4' above, the liquid, as efore, assing from the separatingchamber 12 to tiie pump 13, so as to conserve energy to the cycle.

Inall cases the com ression-tubes must be arranged of such lengt as to contain a sufficient number of liquidistons to preclude any possibility of air and iquid blowing back from the separating-chamber.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elastic-fluid'compressor employing a li uid as the medium of compression,

by -drivin the com ination of a plurality of tubes or one or more igh-velocity streams of liquid to enter the tubes, means for producing relative motionbetween said streams and said open ends presented to them, means for receiving ducts havinglopen ends, means for producing the compressed elastic fluid, means for em ploying energy in the compressing liquid not utilize 7 directly in compressing elastic fluid, substantially as described.

2. In combination inan elastic-fluid compressor employing li uid as the medium of compression, a p ura ity of ducts through which elastic fluid is sucessively compressed by separate moving plugs of liquid; means for giving velocity to said separate plugs, a recervmg-chambr into which said ducts dis charge together with a motor receiving ener from the compressing liquid said motor aetmg toassist in the work of compression the velocity imparting means, substantia 1y as described.

3. In combination in an elastic-fluid compressor employing liquid as the medium of compression, means for giving the liquid velocity, means receiving energy from the compressing liquid an outing said first-mentioned means; a p urality' of ducts through which-the elastic fluid is successively compressed together with a receiving-chamber mto which said ducts discharge, substantially as described.

' 4. In combination in anelastic-fluid compressor employing liquid as the medium of compression, means for giving velocity to the liquid; a plurality of ducts through which the elastic fluid is successively compressed; a receiving-chamber into which said ducts discharge together with a turbinedriven by the compressing liquid and actin to augment I I said velocity-giving means, su stantially as described.

5. An elastic-fluid compressor employing a li uid as the medium of compression, comprising centrifugal means for the liquid the required velocity, means for receiving the elastic fluid together with the liquidfrom said centrifugal means to effect compression of the fluid, a separator and means for obtaining work from the discharge liquid, said means acting to augment the centrifugal means and give velocity to the liquid, substantially asdescribed.

6. 'An elastic-fluid compressor employing a liquid as the medium of compression, comprising centrifu al means for giving the liquid the require velocity, means for receiving the elastic fluid together with the liquidfrom said centrifugal means to effect compression of the fluid, a separator, a cooler and means for obtaining work from the discharge liquid, said means acting to augment thepump and give velocity to the liquid, substantially as described.

7. An elastic-fluid'com ressor employing a llquid as the medium 0 compression comprising centrifugal means forgiving the liquid the required velocity, means for receiving the liquid from said centrifugal means in the form of se arate liquid traveling pistons, together wit theelastic fluid a se arator, and means for obtaining work from t e dischar e liquid, said means acting to an ment t e pump and give velocity to the liquid, substantially as described.

8. An elastic-fluid com ressor employing a liqu d as the medium 0 compresslon comprising centrifugal means for giving the liquid the re uired velocity, means for receiving the h uid rom said centrifugal means in separate iquid traveling pistons, together with the .elastic fluid, a separator, a cooler and means for obtaining work from the discharge liquid, said means acting to augment the pump and glve velocity tothe liquid, substantially as described.

9. An elastic-fluid compressor employing a llquid as the medium of compresslon com- IIL prising centrifugal means for giving the liq-l issuing from said receiver, substantially as uid the required velocity, a receiver with a described. 1 connection to said centrifugal means to on In witness whereof I have hereunto set my train air for compression, a turbine, a conhand in presence of two witnesses.

nection from said receiver to-said turbine, l i SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI.

said connection having its discharge directed Witnesses:

to augment the power of said centrifugal ALBERT, E. PARKEB,

means by utilizing the energy of said liquid B. SMITH. 

